October skies

Broken Wing stopped and pointed ahead. Ben understood what he was drawing their attention to.

‘What?’ Mrs Zimmerman asked breathlessly.

The river they were running alongside curled to the left and, where it did, the trees they were so desperate to keep a distance from ran all the way down to the river’s edge.

‘If we want to go any further, we’ll have to go through those trees.’

Mrs Zimmerman stared unhappily at them.

There was no indication whether it would be a short interlude through a thin spur of wood, or whether, from this point on, the safe margin of ground between them and the woods was gone.

Broken Wing still carried his ancient flintlock musket, a horn of powder and some shot. If there was just the one… thing pursuing them, he trusted the Indian’s marksmanship to take a single, quickly aimed shot across open ground, should it emerge suddenly and charge towards them. In amongst the trees, however, should they be ambushed, he suspected the gun would never get to be fired.

Ben cast a glance at the tree line to the left of them, running parallel with the riverbank, and knew it was in there somewhere, looking out at them and urging them to go forward, into the trees ahead. To their right the river flowed swiftly, swollen with freezing water that would numb them the moment they stepped into it. It would swallow them up and certainly kill them all.

Broken Wing spotted his gaze and shook his head. ‘Not cross here.’ He gestured west. ‘Down river… cross. Five day north, to Shoshone.’

‘What does he mean?’ asked Mrs Zimmerman.

Ben understood. ‘He can take us to the Shoshone Indians. But we’d need to cross this river and head north.’

Broken Wing nodded.

‘But’ — he turned to Mrs Zimmerman — ‘we need to carry on through those trees.’

She shook her head vigorously. ‘I can’t… I don’t want to go in th-’

‘Neither do I. But we can’t stay here.’

Broken Wing stabbed his finger impatiently forwards.

‘Yes, we’re wasting time,’ said Ben. He smiled reassuringly at Mrs Zimmerman and Emily. ‘It’ll only be a thin strip of woodland, and then we’ll be out in the open again. We’ll be fine.’

Emily stirred. ‘Don’t worry, Mrs Zimmerman,’ she said with a small voice, ‘Benjamin will keep us safe.’ She smiled up at Ben and tightened her grasp on his hand. ‘We should go,’ she added.

Mrs Zimmerman nodded at her. ‘All right.’

They approached the trees cautiously, huddled closely together. Broken Wing was ahead, his musket held ready, loaded with shot, and powder ready in the flashpan.

His tamahakan was tucked into a leather belt. Ben had seen how quickly the Indian could pull it out and use it, during the struggle back at the camp. He wondered, though, if he’d be quick enough this time.

Mrs Zimmerman and Emily followed the Indian, the woman’s arms wrapped protectively around the young girl, both of them staring at the trees with eyes as round as saucers. Ben walked a few paces behind them, Keats’s large knife in one hand and a thick and heavy stick, for what it was worth, held in the other. Together they stepped beneath the darkening canopy of branches, from a bed of crunching snow onto a spongy carpet of dry cones and needles.

Through the gaps in the branches he watched them move with slow deliberation, only a few dozen yards away… so close to him now.

His hot breath blasted back off the bone mask onto his face, warming his cheeks.

Emily.

He missed her, missed her so much. Before everything had changed there had been him and her — just the two of them. Momma only had time for Preston, never for them. Momma didn’t care about them, not as much as she cared for God. Momma didn’t want to know about the games Hearst and Vander played with the children.

It’s always been just you and me, Emily.

But there was Ben. He had shown some kindness. Sam had even let himself believe that come the spring, the three of them might leave the wilderness together: an odd family, like three siblings — big brother, little brother and little sister. Emily liked Ben. She would have adored the idea of doing that, leaving Preston’s temple and exploring the world alongside Benjamin Lambert.

You have me now.

Yes… I do.

Sam owed so much to the angel. He knew he wouldn’t have survived alone. He would have gone mad; he would have been stupid the day Mr Hearst came to kill them. He would have returned to the camp and tried to attack Preston. And he would have failed. Mr Hollander always stood guard, ready to protect him. He would have failed and been killed.

You need me.

Yes.

Do you trust me?

Yes.

Sam watched them moving steadily and quietly through the wood, Emily dropping back to clutch Benjamin’s hand, the Indian ahead of them, Mrs Zimmerman beside.

Do you see how she clings to him?

He did. He saw her holding tightly and peering out at the darkness in fear…

Of me?

You are different now.

I’m Sam.

You were ‘Sam’. You are much more now.